Automatically notifying messaging device users of selected incoming calls to a telephone set

Abstract

A telephone set automatically transmits a paging message to notify a user that a call from a selected caller has been received. In one embodiment, the telephone set transmits the paging message to a service bureau which formats and relays the paging message to the user's messaging device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) a processor; and   (b) a network interface, wherein: the processor is programmed by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller;   the network interface receives an incoming call from a caller over a communications network;   the processor identifies the caller associated with the incoming call; and   the processor transmits a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.     
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers, wherein the processor checks the caller directory to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a display screen for displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the processor transmits the paging message to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the processor transmits the paging message to the service bureau over the communications network. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1, wherein the processor delays transmission of the paging message until an outbound line is available. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the paging message identifies whether the selected caller recorded an audio message. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 1, wherein the selected caller is prompted for information used in generating the paging message. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 1, further comprising: (c) a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers, wherein the processor checks the caller directory to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller; and   (d) a display screen for displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as the one or more selected callers, wherein: the processor transmits the paging message to a service bureau over the communications network, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller; and   the processor delays transmission of the paging message until an outbound line is available.     
     
     
       10. A method for processing telephone calls, comprising the steps of: (a) programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller;   (b) receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network;   (c) identifying by the processor the caller associated with the incoming call; and   (d) transmitting by the processor a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.   
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of checking a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 10, wherein the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller. 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 13, wherein the paging message is transmitted to the service bureau over the communications network. 
     
     
       15. The invention of claim 10, wherein transmission of the paging message is delayed until an outbound line is available. 
     
     
       16. The invention of claim 10, wherein the paging message identifies whether the selected caller recorded an audio message. 
     
     
       17. The invention of claim 10, wherein the selected caller is prompted for information used in generating the paging message. 
     
     
       18. The invention of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of: (1) displaying to a user a list of possible callers for preselection as one or more selected callers; and   (2) checking a caller directory identifying one or more selected callers to determine if the incoming call corresponds to the selected caller, wherein: the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau over the communications network, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller; and   transmission of the paging message is delayed until an outbound line is available.     
     
     
       19. An apparatus for processing telephone calls, comprising: (a) means for programming a processor by a user with information regarding at least one selected caller;   (b) means for receiving an incoming call from a caller over a communications network;   (c) mean for identifying the caller associated with the incoming call; and   (d) means for transmitting a special signal back to the communications network instructing the communications network to transmit a paging message to a pager of the user, if the caller associated with the incoming call corresponds to a selected caller.   
     
     
       20. The invention of claim 19, wherein the paging message is transmitted to a service bureau, which forwards the paging message to a messaging device to notify a user of receipt of the call from the selected caller.